Geruma-jima
慶留間島26°11′ N 127°17′ EKerama IslandsKerama deerone villageold houses
Geruma-jima is a 1.15 km² island of about 48 people in Zamami Village that the 530 m Aka Ohashi joins to Aka and the 240 m Geruma bridge joins to Fukaji and the Kerama airport, and its Kerama deer and their habitat are a national natural monument.
Photo Snap55 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Geruma has one village, and in May 2024 the village counted 48 people living in it. The Ministry of the Environment says the Takara family house there was built in the late nineteenth century in the Okinawan manner, and it is a national Important Cultural Property.
The Kerama deer and their habitat on Geruma and Yakabi are a national natural monument. Japanese Wikipedia says the deer were brought from Satsuma in the 1600s, and the national designation of 1972 took in Geruma in 1975. The Ministry of the Environment describes them as smaller than the sika deer of Kyushu, and Zamami Village says mornings and evenings are the best times to see them. Keep your distance if you meet one, and never feed them.
Two bridges carry the island's road. The Geruma bridge to Fukaji opened on 16 February 1989, and the Aka Ohashi followed on 24 June 1998, so Geruma, Aka and Fukaji now share one road. That makes Geruma an easy half-day ride or walk from Aka village.
Getting there
The Naha boats call at Aka, so you land at Aka Port on the Queen Zamami or Ferry Zamami from Tomari and cross the 530 m Aka Ohashi on foot, by bike or in a car. The Kerama airport on neighbouring Fukaji is a five-minute drive from the village.
Getting around
Walk or cycle. The village is a few minutes beyond the end of the Aka Ohashi, and bicycles rented in Aka village cover the island and the bridge to Fukaji.
Riding on Geruma-jima
Geruma is the middle link of the Aka–Geruma–Fukaji chain. You ride in over the 530 m Aka Ohashi and out over the 240 m Geruma bridge to Fukaji, and the island itself is only 4.9 km around the shore, so the riding is short with a few climbs where the land rises to 157 m.
No rental shop is listed on Geruma itself. Tatsunojo and Minshuku Harumi rent bicycles on Aka.
December to March
In winter the north wind blows across the open water between Aka and Geruma, and the bridges take the full force of it on a bike. The boats from Tomari to Aka can be cancelled on rough days. The Japan Meteorological Agency's closest coastal sea area to the Keramas lies south of the Okinawa main island, and its 1991–2020 normal sits at about 22 °C through February.
Worth knowing
- Cross the Aka Ohashi on foot if the wind is up, since the 530 m span has no shelter from the weather.
- Bring water from Aka, since Geruma has no shop listed by the tourism association.
FAQ
Quick answers about Geruma-jimaよくある質問
How do you get to Geruma Island?
Take the Queen Zamami or Ferry Zamami from Tomari Port in Naha to Aka Port, then cross the 530 m Aka Ohashi to Geruma-jima on foot or by bike. Geruma has no ferry service of its own from Naha.
Can you see Kerama deer on Geruma?
Yes. Kerama deer live on Geruma-jima, and the deer and their habitat there and on Yakabi are a national natural monument. Give any deer you meet space and never feed it.
How many people live on Geruma?
About 48. Zamami Village counted 48 residents in 34 households on Geruma-jima at the end of May 2024.
How big is Geruma-jima?
Geruma-jima covers 1.15 km² and is home to about 48 people.
Can you cycle on Geruma-jima?
Geruma is the middle link of the Aka–Geruma–Fukaji chain. You ride in over the 530 m Aka Ohashi and out over the 240 m Geruma bridge to Fukaji, and the island itself is only 4.9 km around the shore, so the riding is short with a few climbs where the land rises to 157 m.
What is Geruma-jima like in winter?
In winter the north wind blows across the open water between Aka and Geruma, and the bridges take the full force of it on a bike. The boats from Tomari to Aka can be cancelled on rough days. The Japan Meteorological Agency's closest coastal sea area to the Keramas lies south of the Okinawa main island, and its 1991–2020 normal sits at about 22 °C through February.
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